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Cemetery Symbols

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For those who have an interest in the symbols found in cemeteries. Come ask questions or assist others.

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Latest Activity: Oct 28, 2020

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Started by Nancy Parker Wright. Last reply by Nancy Parker Wright Dec 26, 2010. 5 Replies 0 Likes

Started by Unknown Ancestor. Last reply by Unknown Ancestor Nov 25, 2009. 6 Replies 0 Likes

Started by Terri O'Connell. Last reply by Nancy Parker Wright Oct 27, 2009. 6 Replies 0 Likes

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Comment by Glenn Roy Browne on August 9, 2009 at 8:48pm: Terri, both the photographs you posted appeared on my computer as very tall and thin and difficult to appreciate. Any and all other photos posted were normal.
Is it just my computer or your photos. I thought it was better that you know.

Comment by Terri O'Connell on July 16, 2009 at 6:01pm: Foxie, if you are discussing the first stone. It is the only picture I took. Just wanted to look up the symbol. I can tell you it was from a women's grave and was marked with the Order of the Eastern Star. I would have to go back to the cemetery and find it again to get a full picture.

Lesson for today, take 2 pictures. One of the full stone and one of the symbol.

Comment by Foxie on July 16, 2009 at 5:56pm: terr7l it looks to me like a Modern Woodsman symbol. could you upload the whole the stone. You can faintly see letters in the top but the two symbols look like the modern woodsmen. a male society still in existence today.

Comment by Lacuna on July 15, 2009 at 11:20pm: Hello folks, glad to be here!

I'm not an expert in grave stone images, but I have given many talks on the subject over the years and have learned a bit about it. I have a lot of books on the subject, as well.

One book in particular that is really the bible for grave images is called "Graven Images" (Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Graven-Images-England-Stonecarving-1650-1815/dp/0819560405/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247721369&sr=8-7). I highly recommend this book. I'll keep my eye on this list and try to help out when I can.

Also, be sure to look for other sources of images. For example, embroidery of the period you are interested in usually used the same motifs as graves. Where ivy is used as a symbol of both life and death (it's prolific=life it's parasitic=death), it would be used to mean the same thing in embroidery. A squirrel on a headstone would mean mischief same as a squirrel in a cross stitch sampler (or a painting, for that matter). Anyway, you get the point.

Look to other areas of the arts because that's what stone carving was - an art.

Enjoy!

Comment by Unknown Ancestor on July 15, 2009 at 9:02pm: Sharon Carmack's reference book reports the symbol of the Order of the Eastern star is the "inverted five-pointed star, usually with initials F.A.T.A.L.- Fairest Among Thousands, Altogether Lovely".

As you can see by such detail, this book is the best:
Your Guide to Cemetery Research, 2002

Comment by Terri O'Connell on July 15, 2009 at 9:01pm: Pamela, do you by chance have a photo of one of the graves?

Comment by Pamela Wells on July 15, 2009 at 8:56pm: What an awesome category.....I'm curious about a family who always has ivy on their headstones. Any idea? Their name is KLOPFER and they are from Germany....most headstones reflect the same motif. Your ideas and points are welcomed. Thank you.

Comment by Tom Hutter on July 14, 2009 at 1:25pm: Terri, Order of the Eastern Star was an offshoot of the "Freemasons". All four orders used various depictions of the three-link chain. Daughters of Rebekah>:This Daughters of Rebekah example shows the three chain links symbol intertwined with the letter “R,” and a dove, representing peace, inside the letter “D.” The circular part of the “D” will often be depicted as a crescent moon.